Methods of managing and querying product inventory data and inventory management server

Abstract

Methods of managing and querying product inventory data and an inventory management server are disclosed. The method is applicable to at least one electronic communication device and a server, wherein each of the at least one electronic communication device comprises a camera. The method of managing product inventory data includes: capturing an image of a product by the camera to obtain product image data; performing image recognition on the product image data to obtain at least one image characteristic and retrieving at least one product information of the respective product based on at least one of the at least one image characteristic; and creating or updating product inventory data for the product in the server based on the at least one product information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of managing product inventory data, using at least one electronic communication device and a server communicatively connected with the at least one electronic communication device, wherein each of the at least one electronic communication device comprises a camera, the method comprising:
 capturing, by the camera, an image of a product to obtain product image data;   performing image recognition on the product image data to obtain at least one image characteristic and retrieving at least one product information of the product based on at least one of the at least one image characteristic; and   creating or updating a product inventory data for the product in the server based on the at least one product information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing image recognition on the product image data to obtain at least one image characteristic and retrieving at least one product information of the product based on at least one of the at least one image characteristic comprises:
 performing image recognition on the product image data to obtain at least one image characteristic; and   generating a candidate characteristic list for selecting,   wherein the candidate characteristic list comprises the at least one image characteristic, and the image characteristic selected is set as the product information of the product.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing image recognition on the product image data to obtain the at least one image characteristic and retrieving the at least one product information of the product based on at least one of the at least one image characteristic comprises:
 performing image recognition on the product image data to extract at least one characteristic block;   comparing the at least one characteristic block with a characteristic database to obtain the at least one image characteristic corresponding to the product; and   obtaining the at least one product information based on at least one of the at least one image characteristic.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing image recognition on the product image data to obtain the at least one image characteristic and retrieving the at least one product information of the product based on the at least one of the at least one image characteristic comprises:
 transmitting the product image data to a cloud recognition system; and   receiving the at least one image characteristic transmitted by the cloud recognition system, and retrieving the at least one product information of the product based on at least one of the at least one image characteristic.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether the product image data contains a barcode based on the at least one image characteristic;   when it is determined that the product image data contains a barcode, decoding the barcode based on the product image data, and creating or updating the product inventory data corresponding to the barcode of the product in the server based on a barcode decoded result; and   when it is determined that the product image data contains no barcode, creating or updating the product inventory data of the product corresponding to the at least one product information in the server based on the at least one product information.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein decoding the barcode based on the product image data, and creating or updating the product inventory data of corresponding to the barcode of the product in the server based on a decoded result when it is determined that the product image data contains a barcode comprises:
 decoding the barcode based on the product image data to obtain a barcode decoded result, and connecting to a local product barcode database to determine whether at least one product information that corresponds to the decoded result exists;   when the at least one product information that corresponds to the barcode decoded result exists in the local product barcode database, creating or updating the product inventory data corresponding to the barcode of the product based on the at least one product information; and   when the at least one product information that corresponds to the barcode decoded result does not exist, connecting to an external product barcode database to look up a product information corresponding to the barcode based on the barcode decoded result, wherein after the external product barcode database returns the at least one product information corresponding to the barcode decoded result, creating or updating a product inventory data corresponding to the barcode of the product based on the at least one product information returned by the external product barcode database.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a selectable product candidate list based on the at least one product information and an inventory database of the server, the product candidate list including at least one product inventory data,   when one of the product inventory data in the product candidate list is selected, updating the product inventory data selected in the inventory database based on the at least one product information, and   when none of the product inventory data in the product candidate list is selected, creating the product inventory data corresponding to the product in the inventory database based on the at least one product information.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the inventory database includes a plurality of groups of products corresponding to a plurality of product categories, and when none of the product inventory data in the product candidate list is selected, selecting one of the product groups based on the at least one product information, and creating the product inventory data corresponding to the product in the product group selected. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising receiving the product candidate list from the server. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the product inventory data comprises a plurality of data fields, and creating or updating a product inventory data for the product in the server based on the at least one product information comprises:
 saving the at least one product information and the product image data in the corresponding data fields of the product inventory data.   
     
     
         11 . An inventory management server, communicatively connected with at least one electronic communication device, wherein each of the at least one electronic communication device comprises a camera configured for obtaining product image data of a product, the inventory management server comprising:
 a communication module, configured to exchange data with the at least one electronic communication device and receive the product image data; and   an inventory management module, comprising a product information processing unit and an inventory editing unit configured to communicate with the product information processing unit, wherein the product information processing unit is configured to obtain at least one image characteristic based on the product image data and obtain at least one product information of the product based on the at least one image characteristic,   wherein the inventory editing unit is configured to create or update a product inventory data of the product based on the at least one product information.   
     
     
         12 . The inventory management server of  claim 11 , wherein the product information processing unit is further configured to:
 perform image recognition on the product image data to obtain the at least one image characteristic;   generate a candidate characteristic list, and transmit the candidate characteristic list via the communication module, wherein the candidate characteristic list comprises the at least one image characteristic; and   receive at least one of the at least one image characteristic selected from the candidate characteristic list via the communication module, and set the image characteristic selected from the candidate characteristic list as a product information of the product.   
     
     
         13 . The inventory management server of  claim 11 , wherein the product information processing unit is further configured to:
 perform image recognition on the product image data to extract at least one characteristic block;   compare the at least one characteristic block with a characteristic database to obtain the at least one image characteristic corresponding to the product; and   obtain at least one product information of the product based on at least one of the at least one image characteristic.   
     
     
         14 . The inventory management server of  claim 11 , wherein the product information processing unit is further configured to:
 transmit the product image data via the communication module to a cloud recognition system and obtain the at least one image characteristic transmitted by the cloud recognition system via the communication module, and   retrieve the at least one product information of the product based on the at least one image characteristic.   
     
     
         15 . The inventory management server of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a barcode identification module, configured to communicate with the product information processing unit and determine whether the product image data contains a barcode based on the at least one image characteristic,   when it is determined that the product image data contains a barcode, the barcode identification module decodes the barcode based on the product image data, and the inventory editing unit creates or updates the product inventory data corresponding to the barcode of the product based on a barcode decoded result,   when it is determined that the product image data contains no barcode, the inventory editing unit creates or updates the product inventory data of the product based on the at least one product information.   
     
     
         16 . The inventory management server of  claim 15 , further comprising a local product barcode database, and when it is determined that the product image data contains a barcode, the barcode identification module decodes the barcode based on the product image data to obtain a barcode decoded result, and connects to the local product barcode database to determine whether at least one product information that corresponds to the barcode decoded result exists, and when at least one product information that corresponds to the barcode decoded result exists in the local product barcode database, the inventory editing unit creates or updates the product inventory data corresponding to the barcode of the product based on the at least one product information. 
     
     
         17 . The inventory management server of  claim 11 , further comprising an inventory database and a candidate generating module communicating with the product information processing unit, wherein the candidate generating module is configured to generate a selectable product candidate list based on the at least one product information and the inventory database, the product candidate list comprising at least one product inventory data,
 when one of the product inventory data in the product candidate list is selected, the inventory editing unit updates the selected product inventory data in the inventory database based on the at least one product information,   when none of the product inventory data in the product candidate list is selected, the inventory editing unit creates the product inventory data corresponding to the product in the inventory database based on the at least one product information.   
     
     
         18 . The inventory management server of  claim 17 , wherein the inventory database comprises a plurality of groups of products corresponding to a plurality of product categories, and when none of the product inventory data in the product candidate list is selected, the inventory editing unit selects one of the product groups based on the at least one product information, and creates the product inventory data corresponding to the product in the selected product group. 
     
     
         19 . The inventory management server of  claim 17 , wherein the communication module transmits the product candidate list to the at least one electronic communication device. 
     
     
         20 . The inventory management server of  claim 11 , wherein each of the product inventory data comprises a plurality of data fields, and the inventory editing unit saves the at least one product information and the product image data in the corresponding data fields of the product inventory data. 
     
     
         21 . A method of querying product inventory, using at least one electronic communication device and a server communicatively connected with the at least one electronic communication device, wherein each of the at least one electronic communication device comprises a camera and the server comprises at least one store inventory database, the method comprising:
 capturing, by the camera, an image of a product to obtain product image data;   receiving, by the server, the product image data from the electronic communication device;   comparing the product image data received from the electronic communication device with a plurality of product inventory data in the at least one store inventory database to select at least one of the plurality of product inventory data from the at least one store inventory database; and   transmitting the product inventory data selected from the at least one store inventory database to the electronic communication device.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein comparing the product image data received from the electronic communication device with a plurality of product inventory data in the at least one store inventory database to select at least one of the plurality of product inventory data comprises:
 performing image recognition on the product image data to extract at least one characteristic block;   comparing the at least one characteristic block with a characteristic database to obtain at least one image characteristic corresponding to the product;   obtaining at least one product information of the product based on at least one of the at least one image characteristic; and   comparing the at least one product information with the product inventory data in the at least one store inventory database to select at least one of the product inventory data from the at least one store inventory database.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein comparing the product image data received from the electronic communication device with a plurality of product inventory data in the at least one store inventory database to select at least one of the plurality of product inventory data comprises:
 transmitting the product image data to a cloud recognition system;   receiving at least one image characteristic from the cloud recognition system; and   obtaining at least one product information based on the at least one image characteristic, and comparing the at least one product information with the product inventory data in the at least one store inventory database to select at least one of the product inventory data from the at least one store inventory database.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one store inventory database comprises an on-site store database corresponding to the electronic communication device and at least one other-store database not corresponding to the electronic communication device, and comparing the at least one product information with the product inventory data in the at least one store inventory database to select at least one of the product inventory data comprises:
 making a comparison in the product inventory data in the on-site store database based on the at least one product information to determine whether a product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information exists,   when a product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information exists in the on-site store database, selecting the product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information from the on-site store database,   when no product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information exists in the on-site store database, making a comparison in the product inventory data in the other-store database based on the at least one product information to determine whether a product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information exists, and   when a product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information exists in the other-store database, selecting the product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information from the other-store database.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein making a comparison in the product inventory data in the other-store database based on the at least one product information to determine whether a product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information exists comprises:
 determining whether the electronic communication device has been authorized to query at least one other-store database based on an authority database of the server, and   when the electronic communication device is authorized to query the at least one other-store database, making a comparison in the product inventory data in the other-store database based on the at least one product information to determine whether a product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information exists.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining whether the product image data contains a barcode,   when it is determined that the product image data contains a barcode, decoding the barcode based on the product image data and selecting the product inventory data corresponding to the barcode from the product inventory database.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein comparing the product image data received from the electronic communication device with a plurality of product inventory data in the at least one store inventory database to select at least one of the plurality of product inventory data comprises:
 calculating a degree of similarity between the product image data received from the electronic communication device and the product image data of each product inventory data; and   selecting, from these product inventory data, a product inventory data with the highest degree of similarity or a product inventory data with a degree of similarity greater than a threshold.   
     
     
         28 . An inventory management server, communicatively connecting with at least one electronic communication device, wherein each electronic communication device comprises a camera configured for capturing an image of a product to obtain product image data, the inventory management server comprising:
 a communication module, configured to exchange data with the at least one electronic communication device and receive the product image data; and   an inventory management module, configured to compare the product image data received from the electronic communication device with a plurality of product inventory data to select at least one of the plurality of product inventory data,   wherein the communication module is further configured to transmit the at least one product inventory data selected from the at least one store inventory database to the electronic communication device.   
     
     
         29 . The inventory management server of  claim 28 , wherein the inventory management module is further configured to:
 perform image recognition on the product image data to extract at least one characteristic block;   compare the at least one characteristic block with a characteristic database to obtain at least one image characteristic corresponding to the product;   obtain at least one product information of the product based on at least one of the at least one image characteristic; and   compare the at least one product information with the product inventory data in the at least one store inventory database to select at least one of the product inventory data from the at least one store inventory database.   
     
     
         30 . The inventory management server of  claim 28 , wherein the inventory management module is further configured to:
 transmit the product image data to a cloud recognition system via the communication module;   receive at least one image characteristic from the cloud recognition system via the communication module; and   obtain at least one product information based on the at least one image characteristic, and compare the at least one product information with the product inventory data in the at least one store inventory database to select at least one of the product inventory data from the at least one store inventory database.   
     
     
         31 . The inventory management server of  claim 29 , wherein the at least one store inventory database includes an on-site store database corresponding to the electronic communication device and at least one other-store database not corresponding to the electronic communication device, and the inventory management module is further configured to:
 make a comparison in the product inventory data in the on-site store database based on the at least one product information to determine whether a product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information exists,   when a product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information exists in the on-site store database, selecting the product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information from the on-site store database,   when no product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information exists in the on-site store database, making a comparison in the product inventory data in the other-store database based on the at least one product information to determine whether a product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information exists, and   when a product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information exists in the other-store database, selecting the product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information from the other-store database.   
     
     
         32 . The inventory management server of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 an authority management module, configured to determine whether the electronic communication device has been authorized to query the at least one other-store database based on an authority database,   when the authority management module determines that the electronic communication device is authorized to query the at least one other-store database, the inventory management module makes a comparison in the product inventory data in the at least one other-store database based on the at least one product information to determine whether a product inventory data corresponding to the at least one product information exists.   
     
     
         33 . The inventory management server of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a barcode identification module, configured to determine whether the product image data contains a barcode, and decode the barcode based on the product image data when it is determined that the product image data contains a barcode,   wherein the inventory management module is configured to select a product inventory data corresponding to the barcode from the at least one store inventory database.   
     
     
         34 . The inventory management server of  claim 28 , wherein the inventory management module is further configured to:
 calculate a degree of similarity between the product image data received from the electronic communication device and the product image data of each product inventory data; and   select, from the product inventory data, a product inventory data with the highest degree of similarity or a product inventory data with a degree of similarity greater than a threshold.